Outlet ports for a centrifuge

ABSTRACT

Generally solid centrifuge rotors are disclosed having a series of equally spaced, outwardly inclined chambers providing vertically spaced upper and lower ends. Each chamber has a port opening outwardly through the side of the rotor at the chamber end that is spaced the maximum distance from the rotor axis. Detachable closures are provided for each port of the bore opening and each port closure has a collecting chamber desirably in the form of a removable container. The chambers may include vertically disposed end portions that are both inwardly inclined relative to their junction with each junction having an outwardly opening port provided with a port closure having a collecting chamber. The present invention relates to generally solid centrifuge rotors.

United States Patent Joyce [451 Aug. 8, 1972 [54] OUTLET PORTS FOR A CENTRIFUGE [72] Inventor: John E. Joyce, 22 Nelson Road,

Weymouth, Mass. 02190 221 Filed: June 4, 1970 21 Appl.No.: 43,507

[52] US. Cl. ..233/47 R [51] Int. Cl. ..B04b 11/00 [58] Field of Search ..233/47 R, 46, 27, 26, l E, 233/1 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,125,516 3/1964 Kaldewey ..233/47 R 3,366,320 1/1968 Cho ..233/26 3,393,864 7/1968 Galasso et al .233/26 FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS 903,384 2/ 1954 Germany ..233/26 1,006,805 4/1957 Germany ..233/47 R 901,448 7/ 1962 Great Britain ..233/26 Primary Examiner-Jordan Franklin Assistant Examiner-George H. 'Krizmanich Att0rneyAbbot Spear ABSTRACT Generally solid centrifuge rotors are disclosed having a series of equally spaced, outwardly inclined chambers providing vertically spaced upper and lower ends. Each chamber has a port opening outwardly through the side of the rotor at the chamber end that is spaced the maximum distance from the rotor axis. Detachable closures are provided for each port of the bore opening and each port closure has a collecting chamber desirably in the form of a removable container. The

chambers may include vertically disposed end portions that are both inwardly inclined relative to their junction with each junction having an outwardly opening port provided with a port closure having a collecting chamber. The present invention relates to generally solid centrifuge rotors.

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PATENTEDAIJB 1912 SHEEI 2 0F 2 Izwezzifofl: John E. Joyce d1 a zzey OUTLET PORTS FOR A CEN'I'RIFUGE Centrifuge rotors of the type having a series of equally spaced bores opening through their upper surface and extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom are commonly known as fixed angle rotors and are widely used. In use, each bore is provided with a container, a bottle or tube, for the liquid to be centrifuged. Such containers limit the capacity of each bore and when of the capped type, present a problem in that leakage commonly occurs during centrifugation due to the distortion of the plastic from which most such bottles and tubes are made. While the use of such containers is desirable for some purposes, the elimination of the necessity for their use is advantageous in most cases.

One principal objective of the present invention is, accordingly, to provide fixed angle, generally solid centrifuge rotors, an objective attained with a rotor having a series of equally spaced chambers that are outwardly inclined to provide vertically spaced upper and lower ends. Each chamber has a port opening through the side of the rotor into the chamber end that is spaced the maximum distance from the rotor axis. Each port is provided with a detachable closure including a collecting chamber that is preferably detachable from the closure.

Another principal objective of the invention is to provide a fixed angle rotor having a series of equally spaced chambers, each including vertically disposed end portions inwardly inclined from a central junction. Each chamber has a port opening through the side of the rotor into the chamber at the junction of its end portions and closed by a detachable closure of the above described type.

Another objective of the invention is to provide fixed angle rotors of the above referred to type in which the chambers are bores opening through the top, the bottom or both top and bottom thereof and closed by removable closures.

While the elimination of the necessity of using bottles and tubes curing centrifugation is an important consequence of the invention, of greater importance is the fact that, in comparison witha fixed angle rotor having a predetermined volumetric capacity but requirin g the use of containers, a rotor in accordance with the invention having the same capacity weighs less and if of the same weight has a substantially increased volumetric capacity.

In the accompanying drawings there are shown embodiments of the invention from which these and other of its objectives, novel features and advantages will be readily apparent.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a rotor in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken substantially along the indicated lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section through a rotor in accordance with another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section on an increase in scale taken through one of the side ports of the rotor of FIG. 2.

The rotor 5 has a bottom axial socket 6 for use in securing it to a centrifuge drive and a series of equally spaced, vertical chambers generally indicated at 7 each including end portions 8 and 9 extending inwardly in opposite directions from their junction 10 and shown as of the same cross-sectional area and length. The chamber portions 8 and 9 are shown as bores opening, respectively, through the top and bottom of the rotor 5 and threaded to receive sealing plugs 1 1 removable to permit filling, draining, and chamber cleaning.

Each chamber 7 has a port 12 opening through the side of the rotor 5 into the chamber junction 10. Each port 12 has a threaded counterbore 13 for a sealing plug 14 having an axial socket 15 in its inner end for a removable collecting cup 16, whose mouth 16A is shown, see FIG. 4, of a diameter greater than that of the port 12.

It will be appreciated that since the lower chamber portions 9 are downwardly and inwardly inclined, the lower half of the rotor 5 may be of approximately the same size and shape of but disposed oppositely to the upper half with a substantial reduction in weight and cross sectional area resulting as compared with a fixed angle rotor having its container-receiving bores of the length of the chamber 7.

It will also be noted that the rotor 5 is provided with a series of bosses 17 through which the ports 12 extend and that between the bosses 17 there are vertical channels 18 further reducing the rotor weight without sacrifice of its strength.

With the centrifuge rotor described, substantial advantages result in addition to the elimination of the necessity to use containers for the liquids to be subjected to centrifugation. In general, such a centrifuge enables over three times as much material to be separated in the same or shorter period as in a comparable conventional fixed angle rotor. This result is due to such factors 'as an increase in the number of places and the volume of each so that a substantially greater total volume can be accommodated.

In FIG. 3, a rotor of conventional shape is generally indicated at 5A. Such a rotor may have its chambers in the form of bores 7A extending downwardly and outwardly with its upper end threaded to receive a plug 1 1A. At the bottom end of each bore 7A there is a port 1 1A opening therein through a boss 16A, the port 1 1A and the sealing plug 14A being desirably identical with the ports 12 and plug 14, respectively, and accordingly not again described. While such a rotor does not offer the weight reduction possible with the rotor 5, it is possessed of the other advantageous features.

It will be appreciated that the rotor chambers or cavities may be easily cleaned and where contact of the fluid with their metal walls is to be prevented, as is often desired, they may be coated with a plastic spray, urethane, teflon, acrylic and the like. Such plastic coatings are indicated at 19 in FIG. 2 and these can be easily applied and effectively rinsed out at the end of a run with a solvent appropriate for the particular plastic employed to prevent the fluid from contacting the metal.

I claim:

1. A generally solid centrifuge rotor throughout the area thereof having a series of open-ended chambers equally spaced about the rotor axis, each chamber being generally vertical and also outwardly inclined away from the rotor axis with one chamber end spaced farther from said rotor axis than its other end, said 3 other end being the open end, outlet ports, one for each chamber, each outlet port opening inwardly into said one end of the appropriate on of said chambers and outwardly through the sides of the rotor, and closures, one for each outlet port and detachably attached thereto, each closure including a collecting chamber in 1 communication with the appropriate one of said chambers.

2. The centrifuge rotor of claim 1 and a closure for the open end of each chamber and detachably attached thereto.

3. The centrifuge rotor of claim 1 in which the closure for each outlet port includes a removable container.

4. The centrifuge rotor of claim 1 in which each outlet port includes an outwardly opening counterbore, the closure is in the form of a plug threaded in the counterbore and has an axial socket in its inner end of greater diameter than said port, and the collecting chamber is a container removably seated in the socket, the inside diameter of the container also being of greater diameter than that of said port.

5. The centrifuge rotor of claim 1 in which each chamber has a plastic coat.

6. A generally solid centrifuge rotor throughout the area thereof having a series of open-ended chambers equally spaced about the rotor axis, each chamber being generally vertical and including upper and lower portions and a central junction, the upper and lower portions inclined inwardly from their junctions towards said rotor axis and opening, respectively, through the top and bottom of the rotor, outlet ports, one for each junction and in communication therewith, closures at least for the downwardly opening end portion of each chamber and detachably attached to the open end thereof, and closures, one for each outlet port and detachably attached thereto, each closure including a collecting chamber in communication withthe appropriate one of said junctions.

7. The centrifuge rotor of claim 6 in which the upper and lower portions of each chamber are of the same length and of the same cross sectional area.

8. The centrifuge rotor of claim 7 in which each chamber includes a plastic coat. 

1. A generally solid centrifuge rotor throughout the area thereof having a series of open-ended chambers equally spaced about the rotor axis, each chamber being generally vertical and also outwardly inclined away from the rotor axis with one chamber end spaced farther from said rotor axis than its other end, said other end being the open end, outlet ports, one for each chamber, each outlet port opening inwardly into said one end of the appropriate on of said chambers and outwardly through the sides of the rotor, and closures, one for each outlet port and detachably Attached thereto, each closure including a collecting chamber in communication with the appropriate one of said chambers.
 2. The centrifuge rotor of claim 1 and a closure for the open end of each chamber and detachably attached thereto.
 3. The centrifuge rotor of claim 1 in which the closure for each outlet port includes a removable container.
 4. The centrifuge rotor of claim 1 in which each outlet port includes an outwardly opening counterbore, the closure is in the form of a plug threaded in the counterbore and has an axial socket in its inner end of greater diameter than said port, and the collecting chamber is a container removably seated in the socket, the inside diameter of the container also being of greater diameter than that of said port.
 5. The centrifuge rotor of claim 1 in which each chamber has a plastic coat.
 6. A generally solid centrifuge rotor throughout the area thereof having a series of open-ended chambers equally spaced about the rotor axis, each chamber being generally vertical and including upper and lower portions and a central junction, the upper and lower portions inclined inwardly from their junctions towards said rotor axis and opening, respectively, through the top and bottom of the rotor, outlet ports, one for each junction and in communication therewith, closures at least for the downwardly opening end portion of each chamber and detachably attached to the open end thereof, and closures, one for each outlet port and detachably attached thereto, each closure including a collecting chamber in communication with the appropriate one of said junctions.
 7. The centrifuge rotor of claim 6 in which the upper and lower portions of each chamber are of the same length and of the same cross sectional area.
 8. The centrifuge rotor of claim 7 in which each chamber includes a plastic coat. 